Food Ministry in favour of 7.5% import duty on pulses

09 Jul 2013 Evaluate

Amid the talk of government increasing import duty on pulses and Commission for Agriculture Costs and Prices (CACP) suggesting 10% import duty hike on pulse import to boost domestic production, the Food Ministry has favoured a 7.5% import duty on pulses. The pulses imports have been permitted at zero import duty since 2006. CACP, which recommends support price for agriculture commodities, had recommended 10% import duty on pulses in its report on kharif 2013-14 crops.

The government is of the view that import duty hike is necessary at this point to protect the domestic production because imported pulses have become cheaper compared to domestic pulses, especially after the hike in the minimum support price (MSP). As per the industry data, traders are now importing tur pulse at Rs 3,300-3,500 per quintal from Myanmar, while domestic prices are ruling at Rs 4,300 per quintal. 

Although India is the largest producer of pulses but it imports about three million tonnes of pulses every year to fulfill its domestic demand. In last few years, the government has made progress in increasing the pulses production through higher MSP, which boosts confidence of Indian farmers to produce more pulses.

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